The present invention relates to apparatus for attaching adhesive-coated bands to defective portions of photographic films or to other commodities. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus for automatically making, positioning and applying adhesive-coated bands, either singly or in pairs, to discrete commodities or to commodities which constitute selected (e.g., defective or weakened) portions of photographic films or other web-like flexible bodies.
It is known to transport photographic film, either singly or in the form of a series of films which are connected to each other end-to-end, through a developing or other processing machine. During transport, the films are subjected to tensional stresses which are likely to bring about tearing of films if the films exhibit weakened or defective portions in the form of partial tears, unsatisfactory splices or the like. Tearing of films in developing or like machines necessitates lengthy interruptions of treatment because the torn portions of films must be located, removed from the developing machine and spliced together in a time-consuming operation. The removal of film from the developing solution is an unpleasant task which the processing laboratories wish to avoid if at all possible.
It was already proposed to monitor discrete photographic films or webs consisting of spliced-together photographic films for the purpose of detecting and reinforcing defective or weakened film portions prior to introduction of films into a developing or other processing machine. Once a defective film portion is detected, it is reinforced by the application of one or more adhesive-coated bands in a manually operable device resembling somewhat a conventional splicer. Such operation involves severing one or more bands from a roll of tape one side of which is coated with adhesive, placing the severed band or bands onto the weakened portion of the film, and introducing the weakened portion into a press wherein the band or bands are urged against the adjacent portion or portions of the film. It will be readily appreciated that the just outlined procedure consumes a substantial amount of time which is particularly undesirable when the films are processed in automatic machinery. Moreover, manual severing of adhesive-coated tape and manual application of adhesive-coated bands to films require a certain amount of skill because the tape and/or bands tend to adhere to the operator's fingers and/or to the component parts of the press.